Bear Yuba Land Trust

Since 1990, Bear Yuba Land Trust has preserved the scenic open space, agricultural legacy and local trails in the Bear and Yuba watersheds of California's Sierra Nevada foothills and mountains.

The MISSION of the Bear Yuba Land Trust (BYLT) is to protect and defend the working and natural lands in the Bear and Yuba River watersheds and empower a healthy, resilient community through nature access and education. 

Why is it important?

Bear Yuba Land Trust is a conservation leader in the Sierra Nevada region, saving more than 19,000 acres of forests, oak woodlands, meadows, riparian habitat, farms and ranches.

Beautiful vistas, open spaces, productive agricultural lands, and world-class outdoor recreation make this region a nature lover’s paradise, for both local residents and visitors alike. At a time when subdivision and land conversion are putting wildlife corridors at risk and shuttering farms, BYLT is working with local agencies and private landowners to permanently protect land, preserving open space and keeping local farms and ranches in production. 

Outdoor recreation draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Yuba and Bear Rivers each year. BYLT works with community volunteers to build and maintain more than 45 miles of local trails, which benefits the community boosts local economies, creates more walkable neighborhoods, and increases overall health and wellbeing for trail users. BYLT promotes outdoor recreation, providing frequent opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy scenic natural amenities on guided hikes, tours, and events at the region’s many open space Preserves.

How do they do it?

Bear Yuba Land Trust is a nonprofit, community-supported organization that works to promote voluntary conservation of the region’s natural, historical and agricultural legacy. BYLT supports a lasting community heritage by protecting and enhancing meadows, watersheds, forests, farms and ranches, trails and parks. 

BYLT is comprised of a small staff and board, hundreds of devoted members, volunteers and community sponsors who are dedicated to preserving their beloved open spaces. BYLT supports the economic stability of their community by keeping working landscapes like farms, ranches and forestlands viable. BYLT’s land stewardship team is made up of biologists, botanists and foresters who live here, are invested in the community and care about the land. Each year, the team keeps careful records of the geology, plants and animals on the Preserves and conservation easements that BYLT proudly monitors.

BYLT works with willing landowners, other nonprofit organizations and community supporters to permanently protect critical landscapes through voluntary conservation easements, fee acquisitions, and other strategies. BYLT is accredited by the Land Trust Alliance. 

Watch the new short film “Open Spaces, Wild Places” to learn more about Bear Yuba Land Trust

How you can #TravelKindly: 

Choose the Bear Yuba Land Trust as your local charity when you book with Kind Traveler.

Join BYLT for “In the Field,” a monthly outing featuring tours and guided hikes to their favorite trails and open space preserves

 Volunteer to help maintain a trail or restore local open space Preserves

When hiking the trails in Gold Country, use the BYLT Trails Portal to find inspiring hikes and gain insight and tips for responsible hiking

Attend a special event such as our annual NatureFest, Celebration of Trails, Open Spaces and Wild Places Gala, or Conservation Awards Breakfast and spend time with a community of people dedicated to protecting the land - click here to see the events.

Purchase hiking accoutrements from the online shop  going towards trail preservation